COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
99 
like a pencil, they put that sharp end in the hole i82i. 
or dent of the flat soft piece, and then rubbing Aug-, ao. 
or twirling the hard piece between the palm of 
their hands, they drill the soft piece till it smokes, 
and at last takes fire. 
‘‘ These people speak somewhat through the 
throat; but we could not understand one word 
that they said. We anchored, as I said before, 
January the 5 th, and seeing men walking on the 
shore, we presently sent a canoe to get some 
acquaintance with them ; for we were in hopes 
to get some provision among them. But the in- 
habitants, seeing our boat coming, run away 
and hid themselves. We searched afterwards 
three days in hopes to find their houses, but 
found none; yet we saw many places where 
they had made fires. At last, being out of hopes 
to find their habitations, we searched no farther ; 
but left a great many toys ashore, in such places 
where we thought they would come. In aU our 
search we found no water, but old wells on the 
sandy bays. 
‘‘ At last we went over to the islands, and 
there we found a great many of the natives ; I 
do believe there were forty on one island, men, 
women, and children. The men on our first 
coming ashore, threatened us with their lances 
and swords ; but they were frightened by firing 
